Aluminum boat



June '3, 1930.

E. OHNSTRAND ALUMINUM BOAT Filed Jan. 24, 1928 Patented June 3, 1930 PATENT OFFICE ENOCE OHNSTRAND, OF KENMORE, NEW YORK ALUMINUM BOAT Application filed. January 24, 1928. Serial No. 249,152.

This invention relates to a boat construction and more especially to a boat which may a be constructed throughout from aluminum.

Eflorts have been made heretofore to prof vide a light craft which could be constructed entirely of metal and which could have its parts readily assembled without expense and diflicult workmanship and at the same time avoid the leakage of water through the metalto-metal joints. Aluminum, because of ts light weight-and the fact that it IS easily worked, adapts itself for the construction of a boat which is both rust-resisting and durable.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide an aluminum boat composed of longitudinal aluminum frame members to which aluminum body plates are securely attached against leakage, the said frame members being possessed of a degree of res liency or yieldability to facilitate the application of the plates and the final shaping of the boat.

Another object is to provide a boat construction which may be shipped to its destmation in knocked-down or disassembled formation and which may be readily assembled in an expeditious manner and without any great difliculty.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a boat construction of aluminum embodying a keel member having lateral, longitudinal flanges to receive and firmly embrace the body plates or sheets of aluminum in a leak-proof manner.

The inventionresides in the features of construction and the arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view through the improved boat.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed section through the keel illustrating in dotted lines the original formation of the keel before the bottom plates or sheets are attached. v Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view through one of the keelsons. j 50 Fig. 4 is an elevation of the bow of the boat depicting the keel member turned upwardly to form the bow-piece.

Fi 5 is a cross sectional showing of a modified lieel, and

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, the keel 1 and the keelsons 2 are composed of lengths of extruded aluminum each having oppositely extending, lateralpairs of flanges 3 extending substantially the entire length of the particular frame member, which flanges when originall formed diverge outwardly as indicated by the dotted showing 4 in Fig. 2, or extend substantially arallel as in 5. These 'flanges provide outwardly facing, longitudinal grooves 3' which facilitate the placement of the body plates. Preliminary to this, however, it is preferred to insert a quantity of water-proof cement, such as indicated at 5, following which a longitudinal edge of one of the body plates is inserted. With reference to Fig. 2, the longitudinal inner marginal portions of'the bottom plates 6 are inserted in the inwardly tapering grooves of the keel 1 and the flanges are then brought into clamping relation with said interposed marginal portions, forming a joint of flat, conta'ctlng, metal surfaces which may be maintained by the provision of rivets 7 which are spaced at intervals along the joints. The outer longitudinal marginal portions of the bottom plates 6 are likewise clampingly and securely embraced between 35 the inwardly extending'pairs of flanges 3 of the respective keelsons 2 in a manner similar to that just described in providing the leak proof joints at the keel. Each keelson is of angular section and has an upwardly extending pair of flanges 3 which receive the bottom edge of the respective side plate 8, the latter constituting the sides of the boat. The upper marginal portions of the sides 8 are capped by side rails or gunwales to finish off the boat and afford some rigidness thereto. The bottoms of the grooves are preferably rounded and slightly enlarged, as at 3, to freely receive the inner edges of the body plates and thereby facilitate the attachment of the latter give or yiel abilit is provided to facilitate the attachment 0 the' body plates and the shaping of the boat. This particular resiliency of yieldability in the frame members 1 and 2 is provided by reducin the body thickness of said frame members a ong their long1- tudinal centers, as indicated by the channels 10. This flexibility may be provided for b the attenuation of the body portion of eac frame member between the marginal flanges both on the inside as well as the outside such outside formation being indicated in Fig. 5. This construction will permit the obtaining of the desired angular relation between the body plates by reason of the giving tendency of such reduced intermediate portions of the framemembers. The keel ma be formed with the depending rib 1' as ilustrated in Fig. 2 or this rib may be dispensed with in accordance with the slightly modified showing in Fig. 5 wherein the keel 1 is shown in process of attachment to the body plates. In constructing the bow of the boat the keel is turned upwardly at its forward end to form the bow-piece, and the forward edge portions of the bottom and side plates bowed and turned inwardly into the grooves 3' of said bow-piece and secured in the same manner as that de icted in Figs. 2 and 3, the keelsons prefera 1y terminating in the upturned bow section of the keel as shown in Fig. 4. As above stated, the frame members 1 and 2 are preferably extruded and then the flanges brought together to assume anoutwardly di- I vergent relation or asubstantially parallel, or even an outwardly convergent relation, as is shownin Figs. 2 and 5. When the flanges are substantiall parallel the body plates 6 may be inserted endwise, the marginal portions of the plates being directed by the flanges to assume the configuration of the frame members. After the body plates have been positioned between the flanges, the latter are clampingly embraced with the marginal portions 0 said plates by means of the rivet 7 so as to afford a tight and strong 'oint. The marginal portions 0 the keel 1 will substantially lie in the same plane at the central portion of the boat, and as the bow of the boat is reached the marginal portions will assume moreor less of an acute angular relation, such as is shown in Fig. 6. The keelsons 2 will have their marginal portions angularly related through t e mam body portion of the chamboat and will substantiall flatten out to lie in substantially the same p ane, as the bow is approached, in a relation of parts similar to that shown for the modified keel in Fig. 5.

A boat constructed in accordance with the present invention ma be very economically manufactured, requiring only the extrusion or formation of the longitudinal frame members 1 and 2, the cutting out of the bottom and side plates, and the assembling of these parts in the manner indicated.

Prior to their assembly these constituent parts may be shipped to their destination in a very compact and knocked-down arrangement and when they are assembled a rigid leak-proof construction is afforded. By constructing the boat throughout of aluminum the foints may easily' be effected and the resulting boat will possess that degree of lightness in weight WhlCh will facilitate the proper handling and manipulation of the boat in use.

What is claimed is:

1. A sheet aluminum boat comprising an aluminum keel frame member and spaced aluminum keelson frame members laterally spaced therefrom, each frame member being integral and havin marginal pairs of outwardly extending flanges connected by an intermediate bendable bod an aluminum bottom'plate on each side 0 the keel having its inner longitudinal marginal'portion embraced by the flanges of the adjacent pair of said keel frame member and its outer longi tudinal marginal portion embraced by the flanges of the adjacent pair of the respective keelson frame member, and side plates extending angularly from the bottom plates.

and embraced in the other pair of flanges of each keelson frame member.

2. A sheet aluminum boat comprising a keel frame member and spaced keelson frame members laterally spaced therefrom, each frame member being integral and having marginal pairs of outwardly extending flanges, said pairs of ears being angularly relatable upon shaping the intermediate bod portion, an aluminum bottom plate on each side of the keel having its inner longitudinal marginal portion embraced by the flanges of the adjacent pair of said keel frame member and its outer longitudinal marginal portion embraced by the flanges of the adjacent pair of the respective keelson frame member, side plates extending angularly from the bottom 1plates and embraced in the other pair of anges of each keelson frame member, and fastening members connecting the flanges of each pair together through the embraced marginal portions of said plates.

3. A boat comprising longitudinal keel and keelson frame members extruded from aluminum and having laterally extending pairs of flanges, the body portions of said frame members between their lateral pairs of flanges being yieldable for shaping the boat, and body plates having their longitudinal marginal portions clampingly secured between the flanges of each pair for forming the bottom vand sides of the boat.

4. An aluminum .boat comprising a keel having oppositel and outwardly facing pairs of pliable anges, body plates havin their inner margins 1nterposed between an embraced by said flanges, said keel being turned upwardl at one end to form the bowpiece and said anges being substantially coextensive with said bow-piece, and said body plates at their ends being turned inwardly and embraced by the flanges of said bowpiece.

5. A boat comprising a keel having longitudinally extending flanges on its opposite sides, the longitudinal body portion between said lateral anges being flexible to permit the springin of the flanged margin on one side of the eel into varying angular relation to the flanged margin on. the o posite side, and body plates secured to said anges. 1

6. A boat comprising a longitudinal frame member having spaced pairs of longitudinal flanges, the flanges of each pair bendable into clamping relation'with an interposed body plate, body plates having margins firml embraced by said flanges, the flanges of eac pair defining grooves the bottoms of which grooves being enlarged and comprising cement containlng chambers to freely receive I said mar ins, and means for securing the flanges 0 each pair together against said margins.

7. An aluminum boat comprising a keel frame member having on its opposite longitudinal sides pairs of plate-attaching flanges opening outwardly, the bod portion of said frame member between sai airs of flanges bein pliable to permit bending the same on the ongitudinal axes of said frame member whereby one pair of flanges may be angularly related relative to thevcompanion pair of flangesin shaping the boat.

8. A boat having an aluminum keel framemember provided with spaced pairs of marginal flanges, the intermediate body'portion between said pairs of flanges being reduced in thickness to render the same sha able, and a keel rib formed on the lower si e of said body portion intermediate said pairs of ears.

ENOGH OHN STRAND. 

